Police find 22 kilograms of C4 following suspect’s statements

Police have found 22 kilograms of C4 explosives thus far, following testimonies of »»

Police have found 22 kilograms of C4 explosives thus far, following testimonies of a suspect who was apprehended with explosives in İzmir on Sunday.

Following an investigation that began after police apprehended the man with almost two kilograms of C4 explosives, the İzmir Police Department's counterterrorism unit on Monday found more than six additional kilograms of C4 buried underground. After searching several locations in accordance with the statements given by the suspect on Tuesday, the police found more explosives, reaching a total of approximately 22 kilograms since Sunday.

The 26-year-old suspect was referred to an İzmir court on Tuesday. While being transferred to the courthouse by police, he told media that he regretted his actions. He is reported to have been trained in making explosives in northern Iraq by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Police also said he was a senior PKK terrorist.

The PKK, which has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish Southeast since 1984, was founded on Marxist ideology. Turkey has been conducting air strikes on PKK camps in Iraq's northern mountains and inside Turkey since August of last year, following an increase in attacks on Turkish troops and civilians by the PKK. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The group is labeled a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, which has supplied Predator drones to assist Turkey.